Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s address in the 76th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on 25.04.2021
My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Today, I am expressing Mann Ki Baat at a time when Corona is testing our patience; it is testing the limits of all of us at enduring misery. Many of our near and dear ones have left us untimely. After successfully confronting the first wave of Corona, the country was full of enthusiasm, full of self-confidence, but this storm has shaken the country.
Friends, in the days gone by, to tide over this crisis, I had long deliberations with experts from myriad sectors. People from our Pharma industry, vaccine manufacturers, those connected with oxygen production, experts from the medical field have put forth their valuable suggestions to the government. This time, for emerging victorious in this battle, we have to accord priority to expert and scientific advice. The Government of India is applying its entire might to give a fillip to the endeavours of State Governments. The State Governments too are trying their best to fulfill their responsibilities.
Friends, presently, the country’s doctors and health workers are waging a colossal battle against Corona. Over the past one year, they have undergone varied experiences. Joining us, at the moment, is the well known Dr Shashank Joshi ji from Mumbai.
Dr Shashank ji has immense grassroot level experience in the field of treatment of Corona and allied research. He has also been the Dean of the Indian College of Physicians. Let’s speak to Dr Shashank.
PM – Namaskar Dr Shashank ji
Dr Shashank – Namaskar Sir
PM – Just recently had got an opportunity to speak to you. I had liked the clarity in your thoughts. I felt all citizens of the country should know about your thoughts. From what we used to hear, I present it before you in the form of a question. Dr Shashank, all of you are deeply involved at the moment in saving lives, day and night…first of all, I’d like you to tell people about the Second Wave; how different it is medically, what precautions are necessary
Dr Shashank – Thank you Sir. This second deluge that has come in rapidly. This virus is faster moving than the first wave. But the good thing is that the recovery rate is higher and mortality rate pretty low. There are 2 – 3 differences here. The first is – to an extent, it has been observed in youth and children too. And the symptoms…like the earlier one…breathlessness, dry cough, fever…all these are there…along with it, loss of smell and taste are also there. And people are a bit scared. There is absolutely no need of being scared. 80 to 90 percent people do not show any of these symptoms. What they call Mutation – there’s no need to be afraid of that. These mutations keep on happening…the way we change our clothes, the virus keeps changing its colours…hence there is nothing to fear and we shall overcome this wave too. Waves keep coming and going, the virus keeps coming and going…these are the various symptoms and we have to be alert medically. Covid has a 14 to 21 day’s timetable, in which we should avail of the Doctor’s advice.
PM – Dr Shashank, the analysis that you mentioned is interesting for me too. I have received many letters containing numerous apprehensions of people regarding treatment…the demand for certain medicines is very high…that’s why I want you to tell people about the treatment of Covid, as well.
Dr Shashank – Yes Sir. People start clinical treatment very late…in the belief that the illness will subside on its own…they believe in what they keep watching on their Mobile feeds. If they abide by information provided by the government, they will not face these difficulties. In Covid, the clinical treatment protocol has magnitude of three types – light or mild Covid, medium or moderate Covid and intense, what is called severe Covid. In the case of mild Covid, we do oxygen monitoring, pulse monitoring and fever monitoring. If the fever rises, sometimes we use medicines like paracetamol…and one should consult a Doctor. In the case of moderate or severe Covid, it is extremely important to contact the Doctor. Correct and inexpensive medicines are available. Steroids can save life…inhalers can be given, tablets can be given. And along with that, oxygen has to be administered…there are many simple treatments available. But often what is happening is – there is a new experimental medicine called Remdesivir. But one thing about this medicine is that one has to stay 2 – 3 days lesser in the hospital and it aids in clinical recovery. And this medicine too works only when it is taken in the first 9-10 days…and it is to be taken only for five days. The way people are running after Remdesivir…they should stop doing that. This medicine has a limited role…it should be taken only when people are put on oxygen in a hospital, strictly as per the Doctor’s advice. It is important for all people to understand this. If we do PRANAYAM, our lungs will expand a bit. And there’s an injection available for thinning blood…it is called Heparin. If these simple medicines are given, 98% people recover. So, staying positive is very important. It is imperative that treatment protocol is as per the Doctor’s advice. And it is not at all required to run after all these expensive medications. Sir, we have excellent treatments, we have oxygen, we have ventilator facilities…we have everything Sir. Whenever this medicine is available, it should be given only to appropriate people. On this, many myths are doing the rounds. Sir, I want to clarify that we have the world’s best treatment available…you will see that India has the best recovery rate. If you compare Europe, America, our patients are recovering through our treatment protocols.
PM – Dr Shashank, many thanks to you. The pieces of information that Dr Shashank gave us are very important and useful for all of us.
Friends, I urge all of you…if you need any information, if you have any apprehension, get the information only from the correct source. You can consult your family doctor or doctors in the neighbourhood on the phone. I am noticing that many of our doctors are taking upon themselves this responsibility, on their own. Many doctors are providing information to people through social media. They are counseling on phone and WhatsApp. Many hospitals have websites where information is available…there you can seek advice of doctors too. This is commendable.
Joining me is Dr Naveed Nazeer Shah from Srinagar. Dr Naveed is a professor at a Government Medical College in Srinagar. Naveed ji has cured many a Corona patient under his supervision. In this holy month of Ramzan, Dr Naveed is performing his duty and has also taken out time to talk to us. Come, let’s speak to him.
PM – Naveed ji namaskar
Dr Naveed – Namaskar Sir
PM – Dr Naveed, during these difficult times, our listeners of Mann ki Baat have raised the question of Panic Management. Through your experience, what will you answer them?
Dr Naveed – See, when Corona began, the first hospital in Kashmir to be designated as Covid Hospital was our City Hospital, which comes under a medical college. The atmosphere then was that of fear. At least in people, it was so. They used to feel that perhaps, if a person contracts Covid, it would be taken as a Death Sentence. And amidst that, the doctors and paramedical staff working at our hospital also underwent that sense of fear…how will we face these patients…aren’t we at a risk of contracting the infection! But as time passed, we too observed that if we wear protective gear fully, abide by precautions colllectively; we too, including our staff can stay safe. As time passed by, we kept on noticing that some patients or people who were ill were asymptomatic, who displayed no symptoms of the infection. We saw that close to 90-95% of the patients are those who recover without in-medication…thus, with the passage of time, the fear of corona in the minds of people largely reduced. Today what we refer to as the Second Wave that has come in this time…there is no need to panic this time around too. Amidst this occurrence too, if we adhere to the protective measures, the SOPs such as wearing masks, using hand sanitizers…beyond that, if we maintain physical distance and avoid social gathering, we can carry on with our daily work and keep ourselves protected from this infection too.
Modi ji- Dr. Naveed people have many questions regarding the vaccine too, like how much protection we will get from the vaccine, how assured we can feel after the vaccine? Tell us something about this; listeners will be greatly benefitted.
Dr. Naveed- From the time since the corona infection has surfaced before us, till today, we don’t have any effective treatment available…we can fight this disease with only two things -one is protective measures … and we have already been saying that if we get some effective vaccine we can overcome this disease. Our country presently has two vaccines available Covaccine and Covishield which have been made here itself. Other companies too who have done their trials have found that its efficacy is more than 60%. And if we talk of Jammu Kashmir, till now, 15 to 16 lakh people have taken the vaccine. Yes, quite a few misconceptions or myths about this have come up on social media enumerating the side effects … till now, in our place, no side effects have been found in vaccines that have been administered. Only things that are routinely associated with every vaccine – someone getting fever, ache in the entire body or getting pain locally where injection is applied- we have seen such side effects in all patients ;we have not seen any gross adverse effect. And yes , secondly,some people had the apprehension that after vaccination, that is on getting the vaccine, some people got positive. In this, companies themselves have given guidelines that if someone is vaccinated, they may have infection, they can get positive. But the severity of the disease, that is its intensity in such patients will not be so much, that is, they may get positive but the disease can not prove to be fatal in them. So we should remove from our mind such misconception about the vaccine. Whosoever’s turn comes…Because from 1st May, vaccine administration programme for all those above 18 years in the entire country will begin, it is an appeal to the people that come and get vaccinated and protect yourselves and overall, our society and our community will be protected from Covid 19 infection.
Modi ji- Dr Naveed many many thanks to you, and best wishes to you for the pious month of Ramazan.
Dr. Naveed- Many many thanks.
Modi ji: Friends, in this period of Corona crisis, all are getting aware of the importance of vaccine … so it is my appeal that don’t get swayed by any rumour about the vaccine. You all must be knowing that people above 45 years of age can benefit from the free vaccine that has been sent to all state governments by the government of India. Now from 1st May onwards ,the vaccine is going to be made available for every person above 18 years in the country. Now the Corporate Sector, companies too will be able to participate in the programme of administering vaccine to their employees. I also want to say that the programme of free vaccine by the government of India that is going on now will continue further too. I appeal also to the states to extend the benefit of this free vaccine campaign of government of India to maximum number of the people of their state.
Friends, we all know how difficult mentally it is to take care of ourselves, our family during disease. But our nursing staff in hospitals has to do this very job continuously, with so many patients at the same time. This sense of service is a great strength of our society. Only a nurse can tell properly about the service and hard work of the nursing staff. That is why, in Mann Ki Baat, I have invited sister Bhavana Dhruv ji who is providing her services at B R Ambedkar Medical College in Raipur. She is taking care of several Corona patients. Come , let us talk to her.
Modi ji- Namaskaar Bhavana ji!
Bhavana-Respected Prime Minister ji, Namaskar!
Modi ji- Bhavana ji…
Bhavan- Yes sir
Modi ji- Do tell the audience of Mann Ki Baat how you have so many responsibilities in family, so much multitasking and yet, along with that, you are working with Corona patients. The experience that you have with Corona patients, people of the country would definitely like to hear that because sisters, nurses are closest to the patient for the longest duration, so they can understand every aspect in great detail…please tell us.
Bhavana- Yes Sir… my total experience in COVID is 2 months. We do our duties for 14 days and after that we are given rest. Then after 2 months our Covid duties are repeated sir. When I was put on Covid duty for the first time, first of all I shared this Covid duty part with my family members. This was in May. And as I shared this, all got scared, worried … they started telling me that I should work with care…it was an emotional situation Sir. When my daughter asked me, “Mamma you are going for Covid duty?”… it was a very emotional moment for me. But when I went near a Covid patient, I had left a responsibility at home. And when I met Covid patients Sir, they were much more frightened than them. All the patients were so frightened by the name Covid that they were not able to understand what was happening to them or what we would do further. To remove their fear we gave them a very healthy environment. When we were told to do COVID duty, first of all, we were asked to wear a PPE Kit, which is quite difficult… to do duty with the PPE Kit on. Sir this was very tough for us …in 2 months duty, I have worked everywhere …14- 14 days duty in wards, in ICU, in Isolation.
Modi ji- That means, in all, you have been doing this very work for the past one year.
Bhavana- Yes Sir; before going there I did not know who my colleagues were. I worked as a team member… whatever problem they had… I shared, I came to know about the patients and removed their stigma, there were many people who were frightened of even the name of Covid. They showed all symptoms… when we used to take their history, but because of fear they wouldn’t be able to get their test done, then we would counsel them … and Sir when severity would increase, by then their lungs would have already been infected…by the time they came they would need ICU by then and with them their entire family would come. So I have seen 1-2 such cases sir and not just that …I have worked with all age groups. In that were small kids, ladies, men, senior citizens… all kinds of patients sir. When we talked to them they said that they did not come because of fear, we got the same answer from all. Then we counselled them Sir, that there is nothing to fear, just follow us … we will support you … follow whatever protocol is there. We could do only this much for them.
Modi ji- Bhavana ji, I felt nice talking to you, you have given me quite good information. You have shared by your experience, definitely this will send a message of positivity to the countrymen. Many many thanks to you Bhavana ji.
Bhavan- Thank you so much sir…thank you so much….Jain Hind sir.
Modi ji- Jai Hind!
Hundreds of thousands of brothers and sisters like Bhavana Ji and countless others from Nursing Staff are performing their duties exemplarily. This is a big inspiration for all of us. Pay special attention to your health as well. Take care of your family too.
Friends, Sister Surekha ji is now connected with us from Bengaluru at this time. Surekha Ji is Senior Nursing Officer in K.C. General Hospital. Come let us get to know about her experiences also -
Modi ji: Namaste Surekha ji!
Surekha: - I am really proud and honored sir to speak to prime minister of our country.
Modi Ji:- Surekha ji...You along with all fellow nurses and hospital staff are doing excellent work. India is thankful to you all. What is your message for the citizens in this fight against COVID-19.
Surekha:- Yes sir... Being a responsible citizen I would really like to tell something like please be humble to your neighbors and early testing and proper tracking help us to reduce the mortality rate and moreover please if you find any symptoms isolate yourself and consult nearby doctors and get treated as early as possible. So, community need to know awareness about this disease and be positive, don’t be panic and don’t be stressed out. It worsens the condition of the patient. We are thankful to our Government proud to have a vaccine also and I am already vaccinated with my own experience I wanted to tell the citizens of India, no vaccine provides 100% protection immediately. It takes time to build immunity. Please don’t be scared to get vaccinated. Please vaccinate yourself; there is a minimal side effects and I want to deliver the message like, stay at home, stay healthy, avoid contact with the people who are sick and avoid touching the nose, eyes and mouth unnecessarily. Please practice physically distancing, wear mask properly, wash your hands regularly and home remedies you can practice in the house. Please drink ayurvedic kaadha, take steam inhalation and mouth gargling everyday and breathing exercise also you can do it. And one more thing last and not the least please have a sympathy towards frontline workers and professionals. We need your support and co-operation. We will fight together. We will get through with the pandemic. This is what my message to the people sir.
Modi ji:- Thank you surekha ji.
Surekha:- Thank you sir.
Surekha ji, indeed, you are holding fort in a very difficult time. Take care of yourself! I wish the very best for your family. I will also urge the people of the country, as Bhavna Ji, Surekha ji, have narrated from their experiences. Positive Spirit is imperative to fight Corona and the countrymen have to maintain the very same positive spirit.
My dear friends, along with Doctors and Nursing Staff, at the moment frontline Workers like Lab-Technicians and Ambulance Drivers are also working in a godlike manner ! When an Ambulance reaches a patient, the family feels as if an angel has visited them in form of an Ambulance Driver! The country must know about all the services rendered by them & about their experiences! I have one such gentleman with me right now - Mr. Prem Verma ji, who is an Ambulance Driver. As his name denotes, Prem Verma ji does his work, his duty, with full love and dedication. Come! Let’s talk to him -
Modi ji - Namaste Prem ji |
Prem ji - Namaste sir ji |
Mr. Modi - Bhai! Prem |
Prem ji - yes sir.
Modi ji – About your work.
Prem ji - yes
Modi ji – Do tell us in detail. Also tell us about your experiences.
Prem ji - I am on the post of driver with CATS Ambulance and as soon as Control gives us a call on a tab… We respond to the call that comes from 102 and head towards the patient. We go to the patient and for the last two years we are continuing this work. We wear our kit, wearing our gloves & mask, reach the patient and wherever they ask us to drop, in whichever hospital, we drop them as soon as possible.
Modi ji - You must have had both doses of vaccine?
Prem ji - Absolutely sir.
Modi ji - Then what is your message for others to get vaccinated?
Prem ji - Sir Absolutely | Everyone should get this dose and it is good for the family as well. Now my mom insists that I quit this job. I told her- mother, if I too leave the job and sit idle, then who will carry these patients? Because everyone is deserting, leaving behind their jobs in this period of corona! Everyone is leaving the job. Mom tells me to leave that job. I said no mom, I will not leave the job!
Modi ji – Prem Ji do not hurt mother. Try to convince your mother.
Prem ji - yes
Modi ji - But this thing you told about your mother?
Prem ji - Yes.
Modi ji - It is very touching.
Prem ji - Yes.
Modi ji - To your mother too.
Prem ji - Yes.
Modi ji - Do convey my pranam.
Prem ji - Absolutely
Mr. Modi – And Yes?
Prem ji – yes Sir
Modi ji - and Prem ji through you
Prem ji - yes
Modi ji – These drivers running our ambulance service too
Prem ji - yes
Modi ji - How much risk you all taking at your jobs!
Prem ji - yes
Modi ji - and what does everyone's mother think?
Prem ji - Absolutely sir
Modi ji - When this conversation will reach the audience
Prem ji - yes
Modi ji - I definitely believe that it will touch their hearts too!
Prem ji - yes
Modi ji - thank you very much, Prem ji. In a way, you are an example of what we call the flow of the Ganges of love!
Prem ji - Thank you sir
Modi ji - thanks bhaiyya!
Prem ji - Thank you.
Friends, Prem Verma ji and thousands of people like him today are serving the people by putting their own lives at stake! Ambulance Drivers have also contributed a lot to all the lives that have been saved in this fight against Corona. Premji, I commend you and all your colleagues across the country. keep reaching on time, keep saving lives!
My dear countrymen, it is true that many people are getting infected with Corona. However, the number of people recovering from Corona is equally high. Preeti Chaturvedi of Gurugram has also recently defeated Corona. Preeti ji is joining us in 'Mann Ki Baat'. Her experiences will be of immense benefit for all of us.
Modi ji : Preeti ji, Namaste
Preeti ji : Namaste Sir. How are you doing?
Modi ji : I am fine . First of all, as for Covid19
Preeti ji : Ji
Modi ji : you successfully overcame it
Preeti ji : Ji
Modi ji : I would like to appreciate you for that.
Preeti ji : Thank you so much Sir
Modi ji : I wish for the faster recovery of your health
Preeti ji : Ji thank you Sir
Modi ji : Preeti ji
Preeti ji : Yes Sir
Modi ji : Is it just you who got infected in the current wave or have other members of your family been affected by it too?
Preeti ji : No no Sir, it was just me
Modi ji : God has been kind. Well, I would like
Preeti ji : Yes Sir
Modi ji : That you share some experiences of the state of your suffering … then, perhaps those listening in right now may also get guidance on how to handle themselves at such a time.
Preeti ji : Sure Sir. In the initial stage, I got extremely lethargic and after that there was a slight soreness of the throat. I felt that these were symptoms and so I got myself tested. On the second day, as soon as the report came in and I was diagnosed positive, I quarantined myself. I isolated myself in a room and consulted with doctors. I started the prescribed medication .
Modi ji : So your family was saved due to quick action on your part.
Preeti ji : Yes Sir. They got tested later too.Everyone else was negative. I was the only positive. Prior to that, I had isolated myself inside a room. After keeping all my necessities, I locked myself in the room. And along with that, I again started medication with the doctor. Sir, along with medication, I started yoga &Ayurvedic.Along with that I also started taking kadha, decoction. In order to boost my immunity Sir, in the day, whenever I used to take my food, I took healthy food, which was a protein rich diet. I took a lot of fluid, I gargled , inhaled steam and took hot water. I incorporated all of this as part of my daily routine. And Sir, I would like to say that these days, the most important thing is … one shouldn’t get worried at all. One has to remain mentally strong and for me, yoga and breathing exercise helped and I felt better doing them.
Modi ji : Yes. Preeti ji, now that your process is complete, you have come out of the crisis
Preeti ji : Yes Sir
Modi ji : You have tested negative too…
Preeti ji : Yes Sir
Modi ji : So what are you doing right now to take care of your health?
Preeti ji : Sir, I have not stopped doing Yoga
Modi ji : Ok
Preeti ji : I am still taking decoction and to boost my immunity, I am eating good, healthy food.
Modi ji : Yes
Preeti ji : I used to earlier neglect my own self but now I pay a lot of attention to my own being.
Modi ji : Thank you Preeti ji
Preeti ji : Thank you so much Sir.
Modi ji : I think the information you shared will help a lot of people. May you stay healthy; may your family members stay healthy, I wish you all the best.
My dear countrymen, today, our personnel from the medical field, frontline workers are all endeavouring 24x7 in service work. Similarly, other people of the society also are not lagging behind at this time. The country is once again united and fighting against Corona. These days, I see that someone is delivering medicines to families living in quarantine, someone is sending vegetables, milk, fruits etc. Someone is offering free ambulance services to patients. Even in such challenging times, in different corners of the country, voluntary organizations are coming forward and trying to do whatever they can to help others. This time, new awareness is also being seen in the villages. By strictly following the Covid rules, people are protecting their village from the corona, proper arrangements are also being made for those who are coming from outside. Many young people have also come forward in the cities, working together with the local residents, in order to prevent the rise of Corona cases in their area. Meaning, on the one hand, the country is working day and night for hospitals, ventilators and medicines and on the other hand, the countrymen are also fighting the challenge of Corona with a lot of heart. This resolve gives us so much strength, so much confidence. Whatever efforts are being made are of great service to the society. They strengthen the power of society.
My dear countrymen, today we kept the entire conversation of 'Mann Ki Baat' focused on the corona pandemic, because, today, our biggest priority is to defeat this disease. Today is also Bhagwan Mahavir Jayanti. On this occasion, I convey my good wishes to all the countrymen. The messages of Bhagwan Mahavir inspire us towards perseverance and self-restraint. The holy month of Ramzan is also going on. There is also Buddha Purnima ahead. There is also the 400th Prakash Parv of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. A landmark day ahead is PochisheBoishak - Tagore Jayanti. All these inspire us to perform our duties. As a citizen, the more we perform our duties with efficiency in our lives, the faster we will move on the path of the future, free from crisis. With this wish, I once again urge all of you to get vaccinated and we also have to take full care. ‘Dawaibhi, Kadaibhi’ - Get vaccinated and maintain all precautions. Never forget this mantra. We will soon prevail together over this calamity. With this belief, I thank you all very much. Namaskar!